GRAND RAPIDS -- Pete Rusticus says he has seen a lot of good basketball in West Michigan over the years.

If anyone would know, it’s him.

Rusticus, who works in corporate sales for Cornerstone University, played basketball at Davenport Institute of Business from 1962-63 before embarking on an announcing career that has included stops at Calvin College, Hillsdale College and Wyoming Park High School.

He also worked for the Grand Rapids Hoops, which is where he became good friends with Steve Project, who heads the sports management program at Davenport University.

Together, the duo helped resurrect the tradition of high school and college all-star games that took a brief break when the yearly Ta-Wa-Si games ended in 2005.

The fifth annual "Champions of Character" all-star games will be held Wednesday and Thursday at Cornerstone University, with about 60 local hoops standouts taking part.

"I’ve been in this basketball game for a long time," Rusticus said. "I think basketball is a great game, especially at the high school and college level. It’s the best there is. I’m sick of professional basketball, but this is neat."

The event raises funds for "Champions of Character," an NAIA-endorsed program that stresses respect, integrity, responsibility, leadership and sportsmanship in athletics. Previous events have raised about $5,000 annually, but Project hopes they can hit the $7,500 or $10,000 mark this year.

Especially for a cause he feels so strongly about.

"We felt it was really getting out of control," Project said. "We were hearing a lot of nightmares from athletic directors, from referees and everybody else. We felt there was a tremendous need to get out this message out there."

It is about combining fun and civility while playing. After all, if individuals from two rival universities can come together to create this event, why can’t players and coaches?

"It’s a totally unique partnership," Project said. "I think people are sort of shocked that two rival schools can collaborate together like this."

Said Rusticus: "Basketball is a lot of fun, it’s not about these rivalries where they cut each other up. No, life is too short for all that kind of stuff."

The last thing Rusticus and Project want to do, however, is take away the enjoyment for players and fans.

"We’ll have fun. That’s what it’s all about, let’s not get so serious about some of this stuff," Rusticus said. "It’s so much fun watching these kids -- they’re now men -- play this game, but to do it in such a way that it’s fun. I look forward to this every year."

Not that the players’ competitive spirit can be tamped for long, anyway.

"It starts out as a fun all-star scenario, lots of high-fiving, lots of dunks, lots of smiles," Project said. "Then, as the game winds down, everybody’s game face kicks in and they play to win down the stretch."